non-sequential writing

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KarlaErikaCal

YA romance writer in love with love
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So I had posted the first chapter on the SYW thread, and I was told to get to the action first, so I changed the order of things. But with that change of the order, things aren't so sequential.

The first thing that happens in the book is a fight that was supposed to happen after some explanations of things (apparently it was all exposition and whatnot so some posters suggested I switch things around). Well, to make things clearer, after the fights my main character, Scarlett begins to explain everything that led up to this mess.

Then comes the section that originally was at the beginning. She was eating lunch when she receives a call from an elder, her master about something special about her that will be a turning point for the Peaceful Ones (a special society that helps humans in the dark). They're supposed to meet at midnight later that day.

After the phone conversation she poses some questions, such as what was so special about her that the Night Souls (villains) would discover and if she was something more than just a Peaceful trainee in training.

End of Chapter 1

To clarify what happens next happened before the very beginning, she says in narration, " Of course, I wrote that entry before I met up with Ryan and had those two fights with the Night Souls. At that time, I had no idea what was going on until after my date with Aaron." Then chapter 2 ends with the meeting between she and Ryan. After Chapter 3, everything is back to sequential order.

Is it okay to have that clarifier in the beginning of chapter 2? Or does it seem out of place? For some reason I keep thinking that it takes the story out of context or something.

Any thoughts on writing that isn't exactly in sequential order and how to make it clearer? (in my case too)

Thanks! :)
 

MattDempsey

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I would take the fight scene and throw it on to your clipboard. Then select chapter 1 and delete it and paste the fight scene into the start of chapter 2.

You can add the information you want easily into the fight scene. She can be stood in the area of the fight wondering why her master rang to send her here. When the Night Ones appear she can wonder what a simple trainee is doing here.

As a read I would prefer to pick up hints about the background rather than reading a complete description.
 

Danthia

Action doesn't mean fights or summer movie blockbuster action. In stories, it means "something happening that makes the reader want to read on."

When a reader (or agent) picks up your book, they want the story to grab them and make them want to read more from line one. Each scene should build on that and draw them through the story. How you do that is up to you. It can be a quiet mystery when it's all about solving a puzzle, or it can be end of the world stuff.
 
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